Power Outage Impacts Residents, Traffic

Drivers are being advised to avoid Sepulveda Boulevard in Manhattan Beach due to a power outage that has rendered traffic signals "dark" or on a four-way flash, according to City Manager Dave Carmany.

In addition, some 200+ Southern California Edison customers in the city remain without electricity due to an equipment failure that caused an initial power outage to some 1,800 customers around 5:30 a.m. Monday.

Electricity is estimated to be restored to the remaining 200+ customers sometime around 2 a.m. Tuesday, said SCE spokesman Scott Gobble. Power to the other approximately 1,600 customers was restored around 10:30 a.m. Monday.

As a result of the power outage, which is now affecting a swath of buildings from Sepulveda Boulevard to Pacific Avenue on either side of Manhattan Beach Boulevard, the traffic signal at Sepulveda and Manhattan Beach boulevards continues to be out. 

Three Community Services officers have been directing traffic at the intersection, said MBPD Officer Stephanie Martin. 

"We are constantly monitoring the situation," said MBPD Lt. Steve Tobias. "It's obviously a major intersection." Motor officers from the department's traffic division will be assigned to provide assistance."

Carmany said Community Services officers would be assigned to direct traffic at signals that are dark or blinking red.

The power outage has been caused by an underground cable that failed, said Gobble. The cable, on Manhattan Beach Boulevard, translated to SCE trucks, workers and equipment in the area all day Monday.

Reported to police around 9:30 a.m., the signal outage at Aviation Boulevard and Marine Avenue in MB was part of the initial power outage.

• Previously:  (July 12, 2012)
• Previously:  (July 13, 2012)
• Previously:  (June 28, 2012)
• Previosuly:  (March 28, 2012)